Emotion management of women at risk for premature birth: The association with optimism and social support

Objective: To examine the emotion management of women at risk for premature birth, and the connection to their optimism and social support. Background: A shortened uterus cervix in early pregnancy (24–34 weeks gestation) is a predictor of preterm birth and is a common reason for hospitalization in a high-risk unit. Women hospitalized for this reason often feel a wide spectrum of emotions that may require emotional work, where deep acting techniques are used to evoke or suppress emotions in order to meet social expectations. The emotions, optimism, and social support of women with high-risk pregnancies have implications for their health and well-being. Design: A cross sectional study at a high-risk pregnancy unit in a large hospital in Israel. Method: Eighty-six pregnant women hospitalized between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation in a high-risk unit due to premature contractions and/or cervical shortening, responded to a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using reliability testing, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regressions. Results: A significant correlation was found between social support and optimism (r = 0.45, p <.01). A negative correlation was found between optimism and emotion management (r = −0.24, p <.05) and deep acting emotion management (r = −0.21, p <.05). Conclusion: High-risk pregnant women manage their emotions mainly through deep emotion work. Social support and optimism contribute to their emotional coping. It is recommended that healthcare professionals working in high-risk pregnancy units, and especially nurses, employ interventions designed to provide professional support and legitimize the sharing of emotions.